Compound Breakthrough
by Fatolbaldguy
Summary: Mike Whipple a down on his luck retired Army soldier and C class Ajax type breakthrough comes to Astra's Chicago looking for work. He walks into a gang war between the Sentinels and a new gang which places him right on the bulls eye of this powerful new gang


**Compound Breakthrough**

The sound of the wheels touching down and the gentle lurch onto the tarmac jarred me awake. It took me a moment to take in my surroundings.

I had an aisle seat on a 737 landing at O'hare international airport. Hunching down to look over the young woman sitting beside me I could see the construction equipment alongside the runway doing final repairs from the Greenman attack.

The young woman sitting next to me looked to see what I was interested in outside the window.

"Those supers really messed up this place didn't they?" she observed.

I was taken aback. Every Breakthrough superhero in the Chicago area had responded to the Greenman attack on O'hare airport. They had kept that green monster from completely destroying the airport saving countless lives and all this woman could see was that the supers had really messed up the airport.

The young woman must of been able to see the annoyance on my face and took up a defensive track.

"Well if there were no supers the Greenman would never of come here, Right?"

I'm not the fastest thinker in the world. As a result I was really having trouble responding to the woman's remark.

Before I could formulate a reply she came at me with a question.

"You a vet?"

"What? Yes I am why? I replied taken a little aback by the sudden subject change."

"Yeah I thought so. You were having nightmares while you were sleeping. You know you PTSD guys should probably not take public transportation. You know in case you wig out in yer sleep and kill somebody. You were thrashing and yelling there for a minute."

"Was I? Well sorry to have inconvenienced you. Air Force One was booked so I had to fly commercial."

I turned away from the stupid woman and pretended to look down the aisle for something.

How much more upset would she be if she'd known I was a breakthrough super. But now that she mentioned it I remembered the dream. Burning trucks around me while the Lieutenant screamed at me to do something. The memory came for me in my dreams.

The Lieutenant in charge of the convoy getting us lost on that god forsaken Chinese road and not listening to me tell him we were on the wrong road over the radio. The falling shells and then the armored figure running towards us cutting down my guys with magic blasts. Dragon Armor is what they told me later. He has coming straight at me.

That's when I had my Breakthrough. I fired my carbine screaming as the power flowed through me. I had to save my guys and girls!

I smashed my rifle into the armored head of the Dragon armor which did nothing more than destroy the weapon. I then started striking with my bare hands. Chunks of armor flew off the attacker and I reached in tearing back the armor like it was an aluminum can. I then head butted the armored helmet crushing the face shield of the armor into the man wearing it's face, effectively killing him. Heat filled my body as my breakthrough progressed. Then I was hit from behind with a blast that threw me into one of the armored vehicles. I was hurt. but through the pain I saw a man in martial arts robes standing over me smiling.

"Today is your breakthrough Master sergeant and today you die. An eventful day for you I think"

The man's hand glowed as he pointed it at me like a knife. He wound up and I was helpless to respond.

But a nearby armored squad chose that moment to arrive blasting away at the attackers and driving my assailant into the air.

I saw the medic over me and that was the last thing I remember until I woke aboard a Navy Hospital ship off shore..

The plane arrived at the terminal and I left along with the other passengers. An older man waited at the top of the ramp. He thrust out his hand grabbing mine and pumping it. I looked at him confused.

"Thank You for your service son" He said smiling still pumping my hand.

"I heard what that silly girl said and I just gotta tell you not everyone feels that way."

And with that the older gentleman disappeared into the crowd.

I stopped in the restroom. I examined my reflection in the mirror. A big middle aged balding man shaped like an egg. The truth was my troops called me the egg whenever they thought I wasn't listening. But it was said with affection, I think.

My name Is Mike Whipple. I could probably pass myself off as an Olympic weight lifter but I would never be mistaken for a bodybuilder. Wrong genes I guess.

I rented a small car and drove over to my cheap hotel. My job interview was the next day early afternoon at a place called the Artist Cafe across from the Sentinels superhero headquarters. A giant Ball half buried in the park.

The next morning I sat across from a big man Code named Pile driver. He was recruiting for a group called The Crew."

The Crew was famous for doing emergency repairs after disasters. They had distinguished themselves when they had gone to LA after the big one. The Crew were all breakthroughs. I was hoping to get an apprentice position with this group but I'm only a C class Ajax and Pile driver was shaking his head as he read my resume'

"I'm sorry Mike you were a truck driver in the Army and you understand logistics just fine but you have no construction background. If you were a B class I might be able to use you anyway. but as is… Why don't you try the Fortress. That's a Superhero themed nightclub and they hire C class breakthroughs for bouncers. I hear they pay pretty good too."

After eating my meal I walked dejected out of the cafe. At least Pile driver had sprung for lunch.

I looked over at the dome and saw a group of protesters waving signs along with tourist waiting to go in the museum. I noticed that the noise level was going up. A small young woman walked out the front door. She wore blue armor and carried a huge maul. She had a white cape clipped to her armor.

Waving to the crowed she lifted off and flew into the sky.

Astra! Chicago's premiere girl superhero. I realized that I had never actually seen a real life Superhero before other than on TV and the supers at the Army School in Fort Hood. She didn't look big enough to carry her hammer but I knew she had killed Seif-al-Din terrorist monster, a Godzilla, and defeated a bunch of A class Mob villains. A class! I couldn't help but be a little envious. Flying must be cool.

I walked back toward the parking garage where I had left my rental car. As I walked I passed an alley. Four or five big men were setting up a tripod. While several other men stood around watching. They were looking up as if expecting something from the sky.

I almost forgot about it until I walked past a car parked with two men also looking up. The man behind the wheel was asian and looked familiar.

A sense of unease settled upon me. Something was familiar about that tripod back in the alley too. I thought about it, where had I seen something like that before? There had been boxes nearby the tripod. They had been olive drab!

I was running before the thought had fully formed in my head. That tripod was a base for a weapon! I grabbed my phone but realized I had no idea what address I was at so I just yelled send help to 911 when they picked up and hoped they wouldn't decide I was a crank and would track my phone.. I heard wheels screech as a car came around the corner with masked men hanging out the windows firing randomly. My running down the street got one of the shooter's attention and he hosed me with his old uzi sub-machine gun.

When you are a C Class you can shrug off most pistol rounds, but they still hurt like hell. They were also very hard on my only civilian suit.

And then she was there, Astra! She came swooping in all blue and white, cape fluttering in her own slip stream and flipped the car one handed while she was still flying. The guy in the back seat must of been a high level Ajax or Atlas, because he tore out of the car like it was tin foil and barreled into Astra before the car stopped sliding. .

I was about to go help her when it all became clear. I had reached the alley where I saw the four men positioning the tripod on the sidewalk. On it was a missile launcher. One of those Israeli missiles designed to deal with breakthroughs. It could hurt Astra. I was too far away. Two of the men turned toward me and assumed fighting stances. I plowed into them my fear induced desperation allowing me to push them back toward the launcher.

It was obvious right away that the two men were breakthroughs. C or D Ajaxs at least. My momentum knocked both of them onto their backs. The fact that they were enhanced freed me to swing away. I wasn't going to kill anyone. One of the men a bald scarred guy almost as big as me slammed the back of his head into the pavement as he impacted the sidewalk. He got a stunned look on his face and I kicked him in the side of the head just to make sure he stayed down. At the same time I drove my right fist down into the second man's face. He looked like someone's accountant. He too stayed down.

When I looked up I was looking down the barrel of the biggest hand gun I had ever seen. And that's saying a great deal. I was retired Army, I knew weapons. It had to be a custom single action revolver for shooting Ajax's and Atlas's., Cs and Ds anyway.

The man behind him was trying to lock the seeker head on Astra in the street behind me. She was still rolling around with her dance partner.

"Get him out of the way" Screamed the man with the missile.

I raised my hand reaching for the pistol that was only inches from my face. It fired tearing into my hand. I was so close that in addition to the bullet all the hot gasses from the blast went into my hand.

"Say goodbye to that hand Mike" I thought.

Still in spite of the damage to my hand I managed to grab the revolver out of the shooter's hand. My hand didn't hurt but I knew from past personal experience that was temporary.

I reached for the missile gunner with my left hand just as he fired. He was an experienced operator and once he had gotten tone on the missile's seeker head he pointed the launcher up to give it a ballistic arc over me like a quarterback throwing over the defensive lineman.. The seeker head would steer the deadly Israeli missile straight at Astra no matter which way the launch tube was pointing.! I leaped up and amazingly grabbed the tail of the rocket just as it exited the tube. I crushed the tail As I did the four bad guys and I were all enveloped in the redirected rocket engine exhaust.

I had the weird thought that this would definitely be the end of my suit. The rocket motor exploded detonating the warhead. a warhead designed to damage A class Atlas's and Ajax's.

I woke in a hospital room. I wasn't too surprised. As I gave my last memories a review It occurred to me that I should really be in the morgue. In a pail.

I looked around the room. I was alone. The room had a very high tech feel about it. I glanced down at my right hand sure I would see a stump. Being only C class and all you could only expect so much. Although my hand was heavily bandaged i could see my thumb and three of my finger tips peeking out above the gauze. I gasped with relief. My left hand was a little worse. It had a mitten with wires coming out of it and I had no idea what the condition it was in other than it appeared to still be there.

I had tubes going everywhere on my body. And my face felt tight like I had a bad sunburn. I was scared but I was not in any pain. Better living through chemistry was my guess.

My mouth was dry and there was one of those pink plastic water pitchers you see in hospitals sitting on a table next to the bed along with a short stack of styrofoam cups. Now that I saw it I really wanted some water. I just had no idea how I was supposed to reach and pour myself some.

As banged up as I was, I was sure someone must be monitoring me, so I tried the direct approach.

"Hello" I croaked

Wow no one was going to hear that I thought. I tried generating some spit to wet my mouth enough to call out. But the first attempt was sufficient. Although the response I got was a surprise.

A tall shapely female robot walked into the room. She looked like a really animated manikin. Her joints were visible under her silver bodysuit and no one would ever mistake her for a real woman ,but I was just amazed.

"Greetings Michael Whipple. I am Galatea 1.0. The Doctor asked me to monitor you while he took a rest break. Now that you are awake he is on his way. He will be here shortly." the robot said.

I didn't know how to react. A freakin' robot was talking to me. All I could do was croak "Water".

Galatea walked over to the pitcher and poured water into one of the cups provided. She filled it about a quarter way. She then raised the head of my bed so she could put the cup up to my lips.

The water running down my parched throat was the most amazing drink I'd ever had.

While I was drinking a man walked in. He was wearing scrubs with a white lab coat and he hadn't managed to quite get his hair straight. He'd obviously had been asleep. But he had a kindly look on his face as he checked readouts humming to himself as he took note of his readings.

Doc what hospital am I at? I managed to say now that my mouth wasn't sandpaper dry.

The doctor looked amused by the question. He studied a flat screen over my bed.

"Oh you weren't hurt bad enough for a hospital. So Astra brought you here."

"Here?" I asked

"Oh yes the Sentinels headquarters, or the Dome if you will. You've got some burns on your hand and face and a couple of broken bones in your hand that are healing nicely. All those scary wires and tubes are just sensors. they are all stickum type stuff. No needles."

I was amazed. I thought I was dead and this doctor had just told me that I was just a little dinged up.

While I tried to sort through the information I'd just been given a small female head looked into the room through the partially open door. The girl had medium length blond hair and she was wearing a blue half mask.

"Can I come in yet Dr. Beth?" She asked.

"Yes sure Astra" the doctor responded.

This had to be a prank. Astra was not coming to visit me. She had to be too busy saving Presidents or the world. I tried to sit up but couldn't. A bell over my bed rang.

Doctor Beth spun around and flipped some switches on the wall.

"I'm sorry Mr. Whipple I'm a dodo, I forgot to turn off the holding field. It just keeps you from moving around in your sleep and hurting yourself. Sorry.

I suddenly felt a pressure release that I hadn't realized was there. I moved experimentally. Everything was a little sore but nothing hurt to much.

Astra smiled down at me.

"Thank You Mr. Whipple you saved my life."

I didn't know how to respond. How do you save someone's life who can flip a tank onto it's back and shrug off military grade weapons? But here she stood smiling at me.

"The voices in my head tell me you are a C class Ajax. But you put down four B's to get at that missile. The missile was a nasty little job. My teammate Watchman took a glancing hit with one of those a while back and it put him in the hospital. Had it hit me I would have been severely injured at the very least and there were five B class villains and Four C's there which would have made sure that shot was fatal.

Your intervention allowed me to wrap up that car load of minions one of which was a High B before my teammates could arrive. Thank you Mr. Whipple."

She looked at me imploringly as if my accepting her thanks was the most important thing in the world.

I examined the diminutive girl. It was easy to discount her because of her size but her pale colored eyes bespoke intelligence and maturity.

And it would be easy to underestimate her. Her high school cheerleader looks and cuteness conspired against her.

"It was my pleasure ma'am." I relied lamely.

"Great" replied Astra.

"Ok ok young lady out. Let me debrief our guest and then you and the others can have him for awhile" Doctor Beth said while making shooing motions toward the door.

When Astra left I looked at the Doctor.

"Others?" I asked

"Yup replied the way too happy Doctor "Lei Zi, Detective Fisher from Superhuman crimes division, Astra and Watchman. They want to discuss what yesterday's shenanigans were all about. But for now let's discuss your condition."

The doctor must have seen my apprehension on my face. He gave me a sympathetic look then chuckled.

"I imagine you are concerned but your condition is quite good . He reassured me.

"You had burns over half your body and a hole in your right hand. Your left hand was a real mess, the good news is your breakthrough healing is handling all your injuries without any problem. That's kind of why I had you brought here rather than a regular hospital.

Your records show you as a C class Ajax. Your healing seems much higher than C. So I brought you here so I could poke and prod you a bit."

The doctor took my right hand and unwrapped the dressing. He turned the hand holding the fingers with both of his own hands

I expected to be able to see straight through the hand but all I could see was a small indentation on both sides of the hand about the size of a quarter. The wound was still the deep red of raw meat. Now I won't tell you that it didn't hurt but it was the dull ache of an old wound.

The doctor released my right hand and I continued to rotate it marveling at still having it. He walked around and started tugging lightly at the giant oven mitt looking contraption on my left hand. It was much more uncomfortable than the right hand had been.

I was alarmed, the term for my hands condition was char broiled! It had the look of raw meat and the hand looked much more skeletal than it had when I last washed it yesterday. But Dr Beth chuckled contently.

"Looks much better" he said as he slipped the mitten back over the hand.

The Doctor started detaching all the hoses and wires

The robot returned with a blue cotton jumpsuit. I felt self conscience getting dressed one handed with the robot helping. I had to remind myself that that Galatea was just a robot.

Doctor Beth directed me to a wheelchair and in spite of my protests sat me down. He slipped a lollipop into the top pocket of the coverall and began pushing me out of medical.

The place reminded me of a very swanky hotel or casino. Marble with pillars and fancy moldings. The doors we passed through slid open silently as we came to them.

We passed through a lobby where a security man sat at a wrap around desk. The man looked at me nodded and said.

"Evening Sergeant Major. Good to see you again. "

Where had I seen him before? I wondered. He looked familiar as hell. Then it struck me. Ted from the Army super school!

"Hi Ted wow didn't expect to see you here. "

" I get around Sergeant Major" he said.

Dr Beth behind me let out a suppressed laugh.

Ted looked over me at the Doc and with a small barely there smile said. "They are waiting for you inside."

"Thank You Bob" Doctor Beth replied

As the Doctor pushed me through the door I looked over my shoulder at the too happy Doctor. "Bob?" I said.

The Doc just laughed. "I'll explain later.

The view as I entered the next room drove the Ted/Bob mystery out of my mind. I was in the Sentinels assembly room.

Sitting at the head of the table with its iconic S carved in the center was Blackstone the Magician complete in tux tails and cape. Sitting on either side of him Astra on the left and on his right sat a beautiful woman in a silk midriff baring outfit. Leaning against the wall on the right was a tall thin man in a rumpled suit. He had cop written all over him.

The Doc rolled me up to the table and took the seat to my right.

The bearded older man that was Blackstone had such a saintly face.

Sergeant Major welcome to the Dome and on behalf of the whole team we thank you for your actions yesterday afternoon. But as they say no good deed goes unpunished! So on to the debrief. The gentleman standing over there craving a cigarette is detective Fisher from CPD superhuman affairs. As I'm sure you'll understand he has some questions on behalf of the city."

The rumpled man nodded to me acknowledging the introduction.

They started out having me describe my actions during the fracas. They let me relate the events without cross examination.

Astra's testimony surprised me. All four of the shooters around the launcher were dead. The warhead explosion destroyed both,fortunately empty, buildings on the sides of the alley. The buildings both collapsed on me and the four gunners burying us.

It took Astra along with Watchman and Grendel, who arrived shortly after the explosion, a few minutes to find me under the two buildings.

The detective asked pointed questions of both of us. Things like did we recognize any of the protagonists. He told me that I had been tangling with four B class baddies. That brought me up short. There is no way I can handle a B class.

"Wait detective just wait a second four B class? I'm just a C class I should've bounced off of them without them much noticing.

A well built man in a military cut green one piece suit with a beret tucked under one of the epaulet straps on his right shoulder and carrying a blue folder had entered the room from behind without me noticing. He chose that moment to step forward. I recognized him immediately from my short stint with the Army super soldier program.

I jumped on my feet and called out

"Officer on deck!"

The jump to my feet pushed my wheelchair back. If Dr. Beth had not set the brake the chair would have embedded itself in the wall. As it was the skidding chair almost took out the man coming in with the coffee service.

I stood at attention. The green suited man started to laugh.

"At ease Sergeant Major we aren't in the Army anymore."

Suddenly realizing what I had done I felt foolish. Lieutenant Troy Damer, AKA Watchman, walked over with his hand outstretched. "Hello Sergeant Major."

I was tired of being bewildered and there was one thing I did have control over. "Sir its Master sergeant." I replied. The advancement to Sergeant Major never came through." I explained

The fellow with the coffee cart put my wheelchair back in place while Dr. Beth pushed down on my shoulder indicating he wanted me sitting. Thus distracted Watchman walked over to the front of the room and dropped his folder on the table with a splat sound.

Facing me once again he smiled. Nope wrong Sergeant Major. You were advanced to E9 after your breakthrough. They tried to take it back when you were not picked up for the super program. I told them that when we were together at super soldier school but they tried to do it anyway. I just spent the afternoon on the phone to JAG. They agreed and your post dated date of rank is three years ago. You should be getting a pretty nice chunk of back pay.

I was stunned. The loss of Sergeant Major had been a bitter pill. The thing was I'd been on the SGM list at the time of my breakthrough and l was serving in a Sergeant Major's billet. Being sent to super school actually got it taken away. Not the way it's supposed to work.

"Anyway that's not why we're here this evening."

Watchman looked over at Blackstone who nodded.

The lights dimmed and the big screen lit up. A female voice not belonging to anyone in the room started to speak.

The whole incident played out. It was a Hodge podge of security footage, bank cameras, and what I presumed were mask cameras.

The lights came up and the small Asian woman I'd seen sitting at the table stood.

I realized it was the legendary Lei Zu field leader of the Sentinels. She wore tights and looked like a dancer in practice togs.

"That ladies and gentlemen was an ambush. Its target was Astra. Their intent was to assassinate her. It would most likely have succeeded if not for the timely intervention of the Sergeant Major." She nodded at me and the others at the table nodded toward me and murmured appreciation. The coffee guy even whispered thank you as he leaned over and poured me more coffee.

"At the same time a new gang claiming responsibility had put up on facetube a manifesto which they quickly removed when the attempt failed. However Shell copied it before it could be taken down. The act of taking it down has given her some promising leads." Lei Zu said.

Using the pause I cleared my throat.

"Yes Sergeant Major" she recognized me.

I probably missed it but did you get the two guys in the parked car?" I asked.

Lei Zu looked confused. The Detective swore under his breath.

I told them about the parked car that I had seen the two men in looking up.

The video rewound and played back on the main screen. Everyone was in an uproar.

Detective Fisher was growling into his cell phone. Astra appeared to be talking to herself.

While waiting for everyone to settle I looked at the screen. The picture was zooming in and out dialog boxes appeared and disappeared faster than anyone could read.

I realized that someone, probably the mysterious Shell was trying to identify the car and its occupants.

Shell's voice came over the speakers sounding contrite.

"Sorry I totally missed that I am working over that video. I already have hits from Artemis' files on the passenger, but no hits on the driver. I'm transferring what we know to CPD Detective Fisher's office. "

"Thanks kid" the Detective groused. "Don't beat ya self up, me and my people totally missed it too.

I was hesitant to add but they needed to know.

"The driver looked familiar to me when I saw him" I added.

Dr Beth and Watchman walked me back to the infirmary. We moved through the halls silently. I had a great deal to digest. First and not least I was a Sergeant Major. Although I knew my X wife Candy would get the lion's share of any back pay it still felt good to reach that milestone.

The next thing is that I had above C class healing! Not something the Army could really check short of actually hurting me.

But the thing that had me thinking was that of the five men that got roasted by a rocket engine and blown up by a warhead and then had two buildings dropped on them I was the only survivor, with relatively minor injuries no less.

We turned into my room and a breakfast tray waited for me.

"Sergeant Major can we talk while you eat?" Watchman said.

"Sure" I said as l lifted the lid off my breakfast and smelled the enticing aroma. An omelet surrounded by homefries and toast was revealed. The Lieutenant stole a piece of toast before I could react. I smiled at him ruefully as I attacked my food.

"Sergeant Major while we were at the school together you caused the classification office a great deal of aggravation. Your actions on the battlefield on the day of your breakthrough were those of a Bravo class Ajax or better. The problem was that in the lab you only measured Charlie Class. You were also too late in your career to be made a super grunt. It's one of the reasons they tried to pull your advancement even though you had already earned it before your breakthrough. It was almost as if they thought you were perpetrating a fraud. By not being Bravo or better.

The Cadre had made some promises about you to headquarters before the testing was done and they ended up looking kind of stupid. I'm afraid they took it out on you. I tried to get it straightened out but I was largely ignored. And of course it was not my department.

As you know,no super unit was going to take in a non combat arms C class Sergeant Major in a leadership position and so the powers that be decided to retire you without promotion. Totally Illegal. It was a classic cover up.

But now you show up in Chicago fighting above your weight class again! The jump you did to grab the missile was incredible and totally not C class stuff and even Seven wouldn't be lucky enough to make that grab of the missile. You drove through Ajax B class Bad guys! That is why Dr. Beth intercepted you on your way to the hospital. Whatever is going on with you Dr. Beth wants to nail it down correctly.

So many of my questions answered. So many new questions marching in to take their place. I was surprised that I wasn't more upset. But having been in the Army for so long I understood "cover your ass" politics. It wasn't the first time I'd been the victim of it but it had never been so extreme.

The TV is my room came on without anyone touching any controls and a Dark haired young woman with a dusting of freckles across her nose appeared. She wore a Black T shirt with Life 3.0 printed across it.

"Excuse me gentleman" she said. But Mr. Whipple's daughter is upstairs at the reception desk asking new Tom if she can speak with him."

Dr Beth nodded "Sure get her an escort and send her down."

I cut the doctor off flailing my arms as I chewed..

"No I can't see her" I said while gagging on my omelette.

"Why" asked a clearly mystified Dr. Beth.

"My daughter has an order of protection out against me. My ex-wife reported that I made threats against her and my daughter on the phone when I was overseas. The orders of protection were waiting for me when I was assigned to the Fort Hood Super Soldier School after getting out of the hospital."

My appetite was gone, Now these nice people were going to turn on me because of this. But I couldn't let them bring Lisa down here. I would be in violation of the order and I was already in enough trouble. The reason I was in Chicago was that most of my money was going to my ex-wife and I was trying to find a job so I could afford a lawyer to contest the orders of protection and get me a better settlement than the stupid lawyer who had represented me in absentia while I was still over seas had gotten me. I'd gotten trashed financially. It was also why I couldn't apply for the security job at the Fortress. Orders of protection disqualified an applicant.

Watchmen had an unreadable look on his face. he looked up at the computer screen.

"Shell get Sergeant Major Whipple's legal files both military and civilian and upload it to Legal Eagle please. This sounds so fishy it reeks. Have someone go up and explain to Ms. Whipple what's happening with our and her father's apologies,"

He looked at me for confirmation of the last part. I nodded my agreement.

"And Shell find out how she knew he was here please. We did not release the Sergeant Major's name to the press. I would really like to know how she knew he was here.

The girl on the flat screen suddenly got an alarmed look on her face.

"Watchman facial recognition has just identified six goons and a singularity boy around the entrance to the dome. I've played back the security cams and they appear to have followed miss Whipple to the atrium. Two have outstanding warrants."

She paused for a minute looking distracted. "They appear to be after the Sergeant Major's daughter. A bus unloading Japanese tourist blocked an attempted grab."

The lighting in my room changed to red and a New voice came through the speakers.

"Astra go to the lobby escort Ms. Whipple down. Seven Galatea Manhole exit 7c lovers protocol. Crash and Rush end run to positions behind, stand by to evac bystanders. I will come up out of hatch 8d. Move now.

The dark haired girl disappeared from the screen and her image was replaced by an outside view of the park near the dome. The view fell onto a young couple holding hands enjoying each other's company obviously oblivious to everything around them. They approached two men walking along the path watching the portico of the Dome. As they came abreast of the men the girl became a blue and silver robot while her "lover" who must be Seven tripped the first of the two men causing him to face plant on the sidewalk while Galatea punched the second in the solar plexus with the heel of her hand.

It was over that quick. Both men down and being cuffed by Galatea.

The camera shifted and lightning arched as two more men were struck as they drew weapons. They hit the ground and we're still.

We were all back in the assembly room shortly after. This time the whole team was there. All except Astra and Ozma who were sitting with my daughter.

The Harlequin assured me she was being well taken care of and that she was insisting that she be allowed to talk to me.

Of that I had no doubt and I desperately wanted to see her. But with the order of protection I could not risk it.

Blackstone the magician stood.

"I am certain you are wondering what that was all about. Let me review. Someone or someone's set up an ambush on Astra. They had the means available to kill her. I believe that was their goal. Our friend the Sergeant Major intervened for which we are all eternally thankful."

Blackstone nodded to me as the rest of the group murmured their agreement.

"A statement claiming responsibility for killing Astra stated that it was in response to her persecution of Tong.

Astra as one of our patrolling assets has been called to several super on super and super on norm fights. The Tong is trying to enter Chicago's underworld by kicking down the front door. But Astra has been standing on the other side of the door far too often for their taste. She has slowed their momentum and taken several of their supers out of play. The Sergeant Major's intervention has deprived them of several B class soldiers. Be alert people the Tong wants payback. The Tong is trying ruthless tactics. Cops who have arrested Tong members are in turn attacked. There have been attempts on officer's families. It is an attempt to intimidate law enforcement and apparently us too. This is the tactics they used in China. The leader of the Tong is reported to be a high level super. We have no other details.

Now apparently the Tong has targeted Sergeant Major Whipple. They sent a team to either kidnap or kill his daughter when she came here to visit."

I cannot figure out how they identified him so quickly. We did not release his name."

Shell's voice filled the room. "Someone tipped off one of the news services. They are all reporting the Sergeant Major's name." she reported.

We told the rental car company where to pick up the Sergeant Major's Rental. Unfortunately we underestimated the opposition's ruthlessness. The car was wired to explode. When the gentleman from the rental company started the engine an explosion took out a whole level of the parking garage. Four people died in the blast."

I was horrified. I had walked into a war and Lisa was now in danger..

A man in a crisp suit walked in and came over to where I sat between Dr. Beth and Watchman.

"Excuse me Mr. Whipple I am legal eagle. I just got a judge to give you permission to visit with your daughter as long as There is a sentinel present at all times. Astra has agreed to sit with you if that's OK." said the lawyer.

The meeting continued without me. Doctor Beth wheeled me to the door of the small lounge but I insisted in walking in on my own feet. There was no way I wanted to look even more pitiful and weak than I already did for my baby girl.

The door slid open Starship Enterprise style without the woosh. Lisa was sitting inside with Astra who had changed into an athletic tee shirt with her star logo and cargo pants. She looked fourteen!

But I only had eyes for my little girl. Lisa towered over Astra dark brown hair cut short. She wore a pantsuit and her big brown eyes were set in a heart shaped face, I know I am prejudiced but I think my only child is the most beautiful girl in the world. Woman actually, little of the girl I remember so fondly remained.

Dad! she cried and flung herself into my arms. We held each other for a long moment while Astra pretended to study one of the decorative paintings on the wall. Finally Lisa pushed away and studied me.

"God Dad you look awful."

I laughed as tension I didn't know I was under drained away.

"Well thanks honey I would have dressed up but I didn't know you were coming."

Lisa dragged me to the couch as Astra, sitting on a love seat on the other side of the room leafed through a magazine trying her best to become invisible. I smiled a little at her efforts. She must be embarrassed having to chaperon a father and daughter reunion.

Lisa picked up on my glance. She chuckled

"Hope is upset that we need to be babysat. Come on Hope we really don't mind you being here. Do we Dad? It's because of your presence that I'm even allowed to see my Dad so stop being so self conscience. Mom seems to have gone nuts over the last few years swearing out statements against Dad. I have been trying to get the order of protection related to me lifted for the last two years but you know lawyers are expensive."

An old sadness deep in my soul suddenly disappeared. Lisa had not taken out the order of protection, in fact she had been trying to get the order lifted!

.

The sentinels decided to keep me at the Dome for a while both to protect me and to give Doctor Beth the opportunity to study the fascinating science subject that was me. Lisa stayed as well. Lisa was a civilian employee of the Illinois National Guard working as a mechanic in the motor pool. She also served as a Staff Sergeant one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer. The Sentinel had her transferred to the Dome TDY (Temporary Duty Status).

Legal Eagle got the judge to grant that Lisa and I could be in each others company as long as we stayed in the Dome.

The two of us spent our time down in the motor pool. Lisa went over all the service records of the surprising number of vehicles the sentinels owned. limousines, sedans, vans, and pickup trucks. There was also two swat style trucks and a stake body truck even a semi!

We learned the secret of Platoon, Ted, Bob New Tom were all the same person! Supers are weird.

Platoons did everything for the Sentinels and several other super teams as well as for several Federal Agencies.

But for all thier/his skills, maintaining a motor pool was not their/his strong suit. Lisa and I took it upon ourselves to fix the paperwork and took up maintaining the vehicles. Sending them out for service meant trusting a third party with the vehicle and having them out of secure control. Doing the work in house was much better security wise. No one would be sending back a repaired vehicle with a bomb in it.

Spending time with Lisa was great. The Sentinel's seldom used stake body truck was a mechanic's nightmare. Lisa dove in straightening out numerous issues with me handing her tools and lifting heavy objects. I can swing a wrench pretty well but I'm a truck driver by trade. Lisa on the other hand was a wiz with a wrench. The master sergeant in charge of the National Guard Motor pool she worked at called her the engine whisperer. She listened tweaked and hardly ever needed to look at the electronics.

While leaning over the engine compartment we caught up. We reminisced about my old Impala Convertible. I had restored it from a rust bucket and Lisa had learned to love anything with wheels working on it with me as a kid. It was one of my ex-wife's gripes. I had stolen Lisa away from her.

I also played around at night in the amazing machine shop attached to the motor pool garage. Being a target had me a little paranoid so I started a pet project. I built myself a revolver like the one I'd gotten shot in the hand with. I made some modifications to the design.

Now a twenty millimeter cannon shell was never meant to be fired from a handgun. But I figured as a C class Ajax or whatever Doc Beth ever decided I was, I could probably handle the recoil. Even so the gun looked ridiculous, straight out of toon town. Even as big as I am I looked like a toddler holding Clint Eastwood's revolver. It had a five round cylinder with a massive short barrel. It probably weighed thirty pounds. It fired a twenty millimeter cannon shell. No normal person could possibly fire it. But being a class C Ajax I could just handle the recoil one handed. Since I wasn't part of a team, the force multiplier might come in handy one day. Lisa thought I had lost my mind but it had been a fun project. She had Vulcan make me a holster for it.

One day we got a call from Tommy Brannigan, Legal Eagle asking us to come up to his office in the Dome. He told us not to worry about changing.

Legal Eagle was a super who's breakthrough had given him the power of flight. Now he took on super related cases. As a favor to the Sentinels he was looking into my legal problems. Something I could not afford to hire anyone to do for me right now. I was still paying my Divorce lawyer as it was.

Tommy smiled as we walked in and shook our hands. We were a real contrast. Legal Eagle in an Armani suit and the two of us in greasy coveralls.

"You two are hilarious to watch work. Anyone could sneak up on you when you have your heads in an engine compartment and steal your socks. You are absolutely focused on what you are doing. But I am told that not a single vehicle is "down for service" right now. But the Bob's now know all your secrets." Tommy Chuckled.

They told me about the sixty seven Impala. There is no way you should have lost that in the divorce. So I took a look at the divorce trial transcripts. It's almost as if your lawyer phoned it in. He should have asked for a postponement until you were back stateside. He didn't close the power of attorney you gave your wife that allowed her to buy the farm you are now paying for while you live in a studio apartment walk up. And he didn't even make an attempt to allow you to keep a project car you hand built!.

Anyway I have gotten the order of protection cleared for Lisa and a Judge is reviewing your case. In the meantime you can pick up the Impala anytime. You just need to call the local police to have a police officer present when you pick it up. '

Blackstone has asked if you Lisa would like to transfer permanently to the Dome as the head motor pool officer. There will be a nice bump in pay and benefits. The Sentinels could really use you. Blackstone has been making inquiries with some of the discrete logistic companies that we use to see if they can use a logistics expert of your caliber Mike. I am thinking he will hear back anytime now."

Lisa took the job and could not be happier. I heard through the grapevine, Bob, that she was spending time with one of the guys from dispatch. The only problem was we were still stuck in the Dome. The Sentinels were still investigating the Tong.

The Tong was hiring Goons and Singularly boys to watch the Dome in turn. Dispatch was spotting them on the cameras, but not every gang banger in the world had a warrant out on them. Standing around the park and watching the Dome was not a chargeable defense. The ones they caught outside the Dome back when Lisa arrived had lawyered up and not talking. They were far more afraid of their employers than any threat the law was making.

A threat assessment brief I sat in on with Blackstone said that there had been hints that the Tong had direct ties to China. Probably Beijing and a radical fringe offshoot of One Land. They were trying to destabilize Chicago and discredit the Sentinels. They wanted to use Chicago as an entry port for their operatives and terrorists. I could be here forever!

Finally I got too bored with sitting around doing very little.. I told Blackstone I was going to get my car from my ex-wife's farm in Ohio. The old Marine agreed without comment. The team lent me one of the sedans and I drove to Ohio. Astra, Hope had given me an ear bud and a quick hug. I really liked that girl. How could she be so down to earth with all that she had been through.

During the drive I had time to think. The Logistics Company Blackstone had contacted wanted me to come in for an interview sometime next week. These type of companies were used by super related group such as the U.S. Marshals, Sentinels, Hollywood Knights etc. After all someone had to transport the unique shit Supers needed. Not to mention filling the Vern Scientist's orders.

A block from Candy's farm I pulled over and called the local police on my cellphone telling them I was here. They sent two cars over to escort me to the farm. They were clear that I was not to speak to Candy and if possible avoid even eye contact. A flatbed tow truck waited at the end of the driveway for us. I pulled in behind it and one of the cops pulled in behind me. The other police SUV went down the long driveway to the house. Myself and the police officer got out of the car and joined the tow truck driver while we waited for the officer who had gone to the house to call us and let us know we could come down. The Tow Truck driver gave me and the officer a water bottle as he drank coffee from an insulated cup.

I studied the farm as I had never seen it before. The fields were overgrown which didn't surprise me. I couldn't see Candy working a farm and I'd been shocked when she'd written to tell me she had bought one with my money and I was to stay away from it. Across the field I saw a small barn which badly needed a coat of paint. It was situated behind a small enclosure pond. Parked between the pond and the barn was an ancient rusted bulldozer. It was obvious that the old Tractor had not run in decades.

I was starting to wonder why someone would park a bulldozer that they clearly were not using in front of the small barn's entrance when the Police officer down the driveway waved us down. We all got into our vehicles and drove down the dirt driveway to what had once been a very pretty house. It needed work and there was mismatched patio furniture spread around the yard interspersed with derelict lawn mowers and empty BBQ gas cans..

The police officer stood on the steps going up to the house Candy stood up on the porch screaming at the unperturbed cop. He turned and faced us while Candy continued her tirade.

The officer pointed toward the barn. "It's in the barn, but I have no idea how you're going to get it out. That bulldozer is parked right across the door.

Candy smiled evilly at that statement. A smile of triumph. I looked over at the barn and the offending bulldozer. Now that I was closer I could see that the dozer had been dragged in front of the barn. I could see that a trail of broken earth behind the old machine. It had been dragged to it's present location recently.

Without looking at Candy I walked toward the barn. Candy restarted her tirade now directed at me and all my shortcomings. The other police officer walked with me. As we arrived at the barn it became clear that this old bulldozer had been deliberately placed to prevent a vehicle from being removed. The fresh broken earth around the machine was covered in footprints. I squeezed into the space between the barn and the dozer and squeezed into the barn door.

The Impala was under a tarp and thus protected from the pigeon droppings. I pulled away the tarp and found the red and white car looking to be just as I'd left her although two of the tires were flat . The cop who had followed me in whistled.

"Wow that's gorgeous sir. wish I had one. Pretty dirty trick your x played with the dozer. I can't figure out how you're going to ever move that thing. I think you are going to have to hire a big machine. He said

The little alarm inside my head sounded a soft warning. Something the officer had said had set it off. I reviewed the statement in my head but I couldn't put my finger on what had bugged me. We both squeezed back out and while the officer slapped dust off his uniform pants I jumped up onto the bulldozer. A quick examination showed me that the old machine was out of gear. I jumped back down and smiled at the cop.

"Now don't freak out officer. This is going to be a little weird ."

I then reach under the blade and lifted. The front end of the dozer rose slightly. As it did I pushed and the machine began backing away from the door. I hunched down and really bore down pressing my shoulder into the blade. The dozer backed faster. As I pushed the machine back far enough to reach the broken earth my feet began to really dig in. And then it hit me.

This machine had been moved in the last day or two. It's trail of disturbed earth lead from beside the barn. But there were no tire tracks or tread marks besides those of the old dozer. There were only footprints. Supers had moved the dozer.

I glanced up over my shoulder. What I saw made me turn and run picking the startled cop up in a shoulder carry heading for the farmhouse at a dead run. I yelled for everyone to take cover just as the corner of the barn exploded.

I put down the cop so he could join the others in finding cover.

"Sentinel dispatch Mike Whipple here super attack my location two flyers carrying a third. Request enhanced assistance. " I yelled into the earbud,Thank you Astra,

I could see the two flyers coming out of the sun. Between them they carried a third very large man. Bigger than me.

I could hear one of the cops calling for assistance on his radio while the other covered a gibbering Candy.

One of the flyers fired another blast at me. I stepped right and the blast put a crater in the ground where I'd stood a moment before. I rushed back to the barn dodging two more blasts on the way to the bulldozer. I flipped it onto it's side keeping the vehicle's mass between me and the turning flyers.

"Help is on the way" a voice in my ear said. It sounded like Shell.

I peeked over the Bulldozer as the flyers dropped their load of combat monster right next to it. The lizard skinned dark shiny green man wearing just shorts pulled the dozer out of his way so he could get to me. He had to be an A class Ajax. As he effortlessly pulled the dozer away I held oh so he ended up throwing me aside along with the machine. I pressed forward as the abused machine landed overbalanced and fell onto lizard man. A look over my shoulder gave me just enough time to dodge more incoming blasts from the two flyers.

I saw them closer this time. The two were dressed in matching outfits. The older of the two men I recognized. I had last seen him behind the wheel of a car in Chicago and before that on a remote road in China.

But I had no time. I was totally outclassed here and movement was the only way I could keep these three from killing me. If I could keep dodging maybe some supers would arrive to help. I would not hold my breath.

Suddenly my big revolver was in my hand and a bandolier of extra rounds and a holster were over my shoulder. I had the faint impression of red jumpsuit and helmet. It had been Crash, too young to participate in combat Astra must have sent him with my new toy.

Also attached to the belt was a Vulcan made combat knife.

I drew a bead on the younger flyer who had just turned to line up on me again.

I pulled back the hammer and fired.

The round hit the oncoming flyer just below the Adam's apple and penetrated the man's chest cavity. He crashed into the ground throwing up dirt and grass.

I fairly flew from behind the bulldozer to where the man had crashed. He was trying to rise. As I reached him I put the gun to the base of his skull and fired again. The man flattened on the ground. I felt burning in my chest but it didn't feel like a wound more like a rush of power. It almost distracted me from from the second flyer coming in. If he hadn't cried out in anguish when I shot the younger man I'd never of seen him. I pulled the young flyer up and held him up like a shield. The body protected me from the blast but it came apart in my hand almost making me vomit.

I know a few words in mandarin and Chinese and the flyer was yelling "my son my son".

The burning in my chest was getting stronger but it didn't seem to be inhibiting me so I ignored it. I had other things to occupy my mind. I aimed at the oncoming villain. I noted that I was reacting very quickly to my opponents.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw yellow. Reacting I flew straight up the bulldozer crashed into the ground and cartwheeled through one of the police cruisers and landed on the house. I looked for the cops and Candy but I realized that after dropping off my big revolver Crash must have gotten the others to safety.

I was hovering fifty feet over the ground. I didn't know what to think. Flying was not an Ajax power. The flyer had to swerve away from his own ally's throw. I fired at the flyer but I only hit him in the ass. He in turn rolled and hit me with a blast in my left shoulder. My tee shirt burned away and a new fire ran through my body. My left arm felt like it was asleep from the shoulder down. Tears ran down my face.

The flyer flew straight and fast away clawing at his backside and denying me a second shot. I spotted the lizard man staring up at me trying to figure out what to do since I was out of reach. So I accommodated him by flying Down feet first as fast as I could.

I crashed into him knocking him to the ground, although I knew I hadn't really hurt him. I remembered a story about Artemis and Astra when they first met and Artemis had shot Astra in the eye. It hadn't harmed the young Atlas type hero but she had said it hurt like hell. Artemis had used a forty five caliber handgun. Let's see what a twenty millimeter shell could do.

I put the gun up to lizard man's eye and pulled the trigger as he started to get up. The gun roared a fourth time. This time followed by the scream of agony from the lizard man. I checked for the flyer but he was out of sight. I holstered my weapon and jumped on the man's back and started rabbit punching him in the head. My hand moved like a jackhammer. My hand was moving fast enough to impress even a speedster.

So as not to present a stationary target for my unaccounted for opponent I flew straight up. My legs wrapped around the scaly torso. The whole time throwing rapid fire blows into the same spot on the lizard man's head.

My ballistic launch had caught the flyer by surprise and I saw him coming up from below. It seemed my eyesight had improved to join new flying ability that I had not yet had time to marvel over.

I dropped my now unconscious load. And drew the big revolver. I took my last shot and missed. I rolled over onto my back and dove for the ground. I felt the heat of the flyer's blast. He was apparently having as much trouble with flying moving targets as I was.

Although the bandoleer holster held plenty of spare ammunition there was no time to reload my revolver so I holstered it again and drew the Vulcan designed fighting knife. A deadly knife emerged from its sheath. Made of the strange ceramic sort of stuff that Vulcan played with. Its cutting edge was no more than a few molecules thick, it would cut anything less than a full on A class Atlas or Ajax.

I stopped suddenly and extending the blade out in my right hand. The Chinese man could not match the stop and impaled himself on the wicked blade.

I pulled the man up to my face to look at the man who had killed so many of my troops back in China.

"You Killed my son you bastard" he gasped.

"Yup" I replied "and now I've killed you. It's been an eventful day for you I think. Rot in hell"

"There will be others Sergeant"

"There always are. "

I let him slip off the blade and fall to earth. I followed more slowly looking for the lizard man. Instead I saw Astra flying up to join me. On the ground Watchman was putting Blacklock cuffs on a comatose lizard man. Two red suited speedsters leaned against their bikes while talking to a female cop. Coming down the road were a line of fire trucks, police cars, and ambulances. I continued to descend slowly with Astra guiding me down to the ground as if I wouldn't be able to find it without her help. She wasn't far wrong. I was wasted. Between the energy hit and the energy I had expended I could barely stand.

Watchman walked over and took the knife out of my nerveless hand. He then gently took the bandolier and pistol off my shoulder putting it over his own. He then waved over some ambulance attendants who laid me on a stokes stretcher. Astra covered me with a blanket and tucked it in around me. She and Watchman both took a side and flew me back to Chicago and the Dome.

Doctor Beth looked at me after putting some fruity smelling salve on my chest where I'd been hit, by what the doc said was a bio plasmic blast, whatever that is.

But I was more interest in his last statement.

"Wait B plus Atlas class?" I said incredulously.

What does that even mean?"

Doctor Beth chuckled and started marking off points on his fingers.

" You can fly. Your eyesight is now super. And you are super strong. Just short of full A Class. In fact if you eat your veggies and get plenty of exercise you could eventually push into A class territory. "

"And the Plus?" Lisa asked, she was sitting in the room with us along with Astra and Watchman.

"You have a twitch power. You can do short bursts of super speed. Like super reflexes. Your strikes on the lizard man were B class. He was high A, but you hit him so many times he finally succumbed. You were able to dodge blasts moving at near the speed of light. Your flight power is pretty good too. You can't catch an airliner like Hope and Troy can but you can fly at commuter airliner speeds. Pretty nice ability. Hope and Troy are going to take you out over the lake later and see how close my estimate of your top speed is." The doctor fairly gushed.

I was just floored. As I was trying to process my changing fortunes three beautiful women walked in. It was hard to know where to look. They looked like a women's magazine cover for casual wear. Lisa was surprised too and self consciously sat on her callused mechanic hands . Hope jumped up and hugged each of the women in turn. She turned toward me and Lisa and introduced the trio as the Bees. Julie, Annabeth, and Megan Hopes BFFs from high school days. The little superhero standing next to these fashionistas was a bit comical to look at. The three women carried a wardrobe bag, boot box and a hat box. Hope took the bag from them and handed it to me.

"Behind the screen Mike put this on. If you're going flying with superheroes you should look like one." I took the bag and boxes behind the screen and started to examine the suit. I had feared a briefs outside the tights monstrosity but I needn't have worried. A normal looking pair of trousers Cowboy boots, the right one with a sheath for my combat knife, a black stretch tee shirt made out of some amazingly soft material that I sensed was pretty strong. There was also a belt holster with an over the shoulder strap for my toontown revolver so I could cross draw it. As I started shedding my clothes Hope began a commentary.

"Although I am sure Andrew would have been glad to design you a suit, you could probably not afford him. And I know you are already embarrassed by how much you have been given by the Bees on the other hand are "starving students" who are building up a portfolio and would like you to try out one of their creations. I think they are really good but I am prejudiced.

I stepped around the screen. Apparently Watchman had gotten my revolver and knife from the armory while i was behind the screen. Watchman put my gun in the holster while Astra sheathed the knife in the boot.

Lisa walked up, made me take a knee while she put a full cowl type mask on my head. then she placed a wide brim flat topped cowboy hat on my head.

A full length mirror had been brought into the room. I turned and looked. A cowboy looked back. Complete with duster coat boots and holster. The black mask under the hat looked as if my eyes were deeply shaded by the hat brim. I had to admit I really liked the look.

"What do I do with the hat when I fly I asked"

Megan walked over took the hat off my head and placed it onto my back where it adhered. it would be out of the slipstream. It did it without a chin strap strangling me.

"Drifter" Lisa said.

"Pardon" I replied.

Back in the day when I was living at home. When Mom was having one of her tantrums she would keep calling you that no good drifter. It's kinda become part of how I think of you Dad. The noble hero Drifter."

An athletic looking man had walked in while I wasn't paying attention and was giving the Bees an aggrieved look.

"You three are trying to put me out of business! You are too good at this for my own good."

Julie, Megan and Annabeth just beamed.

He walked over and shook my hand " Hi I'm Andrew and you should know that I could not have done a better job on this uniform than the girls did. In fact I am going to have to offer these ladies an internship at Andrew"s Designs before they run me out of business!"

Lisa, Watchman, Astra and I walked down to the motor pool after my flight. I wasn't sure why we were headed that way but I'd given up questions about four hours ago. We walked through the door and there sat the Impala. Red with white interior and soft top. It sparkled under the overhead lights. Lisa handed me an envelope with the keys and title in it.

"I've been over it top to bottom Dad. New belts, wires and hoses and fresh oil and gas runs like a top! Lisa boasted. The Bobs helped.

I got in the driver's seat and turned the key. The small block burst into a throaty powerful roar. I reved the engine a little and listened to the magical noise coming from the pipes. It was amazing the old girl sounded… happy.

I reached into the inside pocket and pulled out a pen. Thirty years of military service had made it a habit of mine to always have a pen. I've become a little OCD about it. I pulled the title out of the envelope, unfolded it and signed the transfer line. I then handed it to Lisa and I got out of the driver seat and motioned her in.

"It was always meant to be yours kiddo enjoy."

Lisa burst into tears and jumped into my arms.

Weeks later I sat in a hanger on the industrial side of O'hare Airport on a stack of crates. My duffle bag sat beside me. I contemplated what Detective Fisher had told me.

The Tong flyer had been known as the Heavenly Breeze. His loss had broken the back of the Tong. At least for now. The local gangs were back-filling the void left by the Tong but the Sentinels and CPD were happier dealing with them than the Tong..

Also Fisher had reported that Candy had alerted the press to my identity when she had seen the news footage of the fight in the Chicago streets. She knew that it would cause me untold grief. She had not counted on the Sentinels taking me in. Not a crime admittedly but then the Tong learned of her identity and contacted her. She offered to set a trap in exchange for them leaving her and Lisa alone.

Candy was now in custody in Ohio, on conspiracy charges and had several pending "filing a false report charges" being looked at by the Federal Attorney . Apparently the alleged threats I had made were done while I was in a coma on the hospital ship off shore of China. The farm was sold to pay her legal expenses. Legal Eagle got the law firm that had handled my divorce to forgive me my debt in exchange for him not reporting their incompetence to the bar.

The Judge who reviewed my divorce case reduced my alimony to a reasonable amount and now with my new job I would be making very decent money. No more cheese sandwiches!

I mulled over my final medical report. My first breakthrough had been incomplete. I'd been knocked unconscious before it completed its process. Somehow it kept manifesting when I was under stress trying to complete itself. The fight at the farm had finally released the full power of my breakthrough. And I had reached my full potential. Probably. Doctor Beth had warned me that there was no guarantee I wouldn't breakthrough again. He called my case a compound breakthrough.

I heard the roar behind me. A grey C 130 Hercules cargo plane pulled up to the front of the hanger and killed it's engines. Emblazoned on the side in black block letters was, HEROES WITHOUT BORDERS. The ramp which had already been half lowered opened to the ground. Flight suited crew got off and signaled a waiting fuel truck forward.

A cute blond haired woman jumped down to the tarmac and spotting me and walked over. She wore cargo pants stuffed into combat boots and a safari shirt with short sleeves. Her hair was the most amazing part of her, it flowed and rippled and moved like a living thing. As she reached me I pulled off my Mask and hat and shook her out stretched hand.

"Rapunzel" she grinned up at me. She was a head shorter than me but she radiated confidence.

"You must be Drifter".

"Mike" I said Self consciously.

Rapunzel's smile broadened which I would not have thought possible. "Mandy" She paused and looked me over.

"I think you and I are going to be great friends Mike".


End file.
